


Hopeful Fool

by Weirdodobird



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24299617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weirdodobird/pseuds/Weirdodobird
Summary: There were times that Frisk didn't succeed. Times they failed and died over and over again underground. Their soul was used to break the Barrier. Other times they did succeed. You didn't know which kind of loop it would be this time. But, you hoped that it would be the last.Based on the wonderful QuestionableLifeChoices' fic, Aberration.Link here-https://archiveofourown.org/works/6653248
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Asgore Dreemurr & Toriel, Papyrus & Sans (Undertale), Sans (Undertale) & Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

It was still dark when you woke up. Outside, the flowers were bundled up into little buds, the birds were dreaming, and it was a perfect night for stargazing. All good humans were in bed right now. You didn’t think you were a good human. You hoped that you would be able to watch tomorrow’s sunrise. And the one after that. And the one after that. You hoped that the world would still be alive tomorrow. But, you knew it was foolish to hope so ardently that this time would be different.

You pushed yourself out of bed and gazed out the window. Mt. Ebott loomed in the distance. Ominous and foreboding. Was it really so foolhardy to hope? You didn’t know. The bag waiting at the foot of your bed was already packed. It always was. Next to it was a long metal bat. It was caked with dust. dust...not… Dust. Dust with a capital D. But it wouldn’t be long before the bat was covered in that too.

You couldn’t stall for much longer. They would be here soon. You picked up your things. You were already dressed in clothes. Or more like you didn’t bother to change out of them. Was there a point when this would all reset again? Probably not. You stopped by the kitchen before leaving your apartment. You grabbed the small pocket knife waiting on the kitchen table. It used to be used for carving wood. Now, it would be used to carve something else. You nestled it into your back-pocket. You wished that things were different. But they were not and you had a job to do.

It was a beautiful day for genocide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hike up the mountain was long and arduous. It always was. But, you were in no hurry. The forest was silent. Like it was waiting with baited breath for something to happen. The only sound was the breeze ruffling the leaves. It whipped through your hair, throwing stray hairs this way and that. Playful. Like it was telling you to turn around let someone else handle this. To go home and rest. But you couldn’t. You were the only one who could do this.

(butyoudon’twanttobutyoudon’twanttobutyoudon’twantto)

You continued forward. It wasn’t long before you reached the end of the path. It was narrow here. You knew from experience that the narrowness of the path was to your advantage. It forced the monsters into a bottleneck. They could only attack you one at a time. You could put a small dent in their army this way. Having reached your destination, you sat off to the side of the beaten path. The sun was high in the sky now. The barrier would break at any minute. 

You remembered the first time the barrier had broken. The first time that monsters had erupted from deep beneath the earth. But, they were peaceful. Led by a small human child, they had become your friends? The memories were hazy. Not that you wanted to remember. Killing was easier when you didn’t remember that you used to be friends.

(pleaseforgivemepleaseforgivemepleaseforgiveme)

Echoes of memories that didn’t happen resounded through your head. Laughter turned to screams. Blood saturated the ground and the air was thick with Dust. Your gaze turned blurry. Unshed tears stung your eyes. No. Not now. Your hands shook. Not now. They would be here soon. You needed to focus. But your body didn’t listen. Sharp and shallow breaths shook your body. At the peripheral of your vision, you could see darkness encroaching. You were hyperventilating. 

Breath in.

Breath out.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Focus. 

As your breathing steadied, a bright flash of light radiated from the peak of the mountain. The barrier had broken. By your estimates, in twenty minutes the monster army would reach you. You pushed yourself off of the ground and stretched. You needed to be a well-oiled machine when they reached you. A strained muscle, a cramp, would be the death of you if you weren’t careful. You knew so you stretched.

You stood in the middle of the path. You were using your bat like a cane. You could attack first. Get a jump on them. Ambush them. You could do more damage that way. But. That wasn’t fair. You remembered when you used to sit with the monster king and discuss history over tea. His eyes were always filled with untold sadness. You used to avoid looking at him directly. For him. For the monsters you used to be friends with. You would hold your judgement until they made the first move. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time there would be no more blood and no more Dust.

You were a fool.


	2. Chapter 2

You heard them before you saw them. Their thundering footsteps. Their loud cheers and awed voices as they took in the new sights around them. How long had they been underground? How long had they been imprisoned? You didn’t know. You didn’t know a lot of things. All you knew was that you couldn’t afford not to care anymore. 

The breeze whipped through your hair again and left. You felt sick. Your stomach churned uncomfortably. Defending humanity was all well and good, but it didn’t change the fact that you didn’t want to kill. You didn’t want to be killed. Your hands trembled as they clenched around the hilt of your bat. Your knuckles were white from the strain.

Sweat trailed down your back. The dark shadow swimming at the edges of your vision dragged its long fingernails along your spine. Cold and dead fingers grasped your shoulders with an iron grip that really shouldn’t be possible for something that didn’t exist. _Who do you think you are?_ The illusion whispered into your ear. You ignored it. _Who are you to pass judgement when your hands are so Dusty? You are the scum of the earth._ You wanted to agree. _Mur_ _derer._ The undead illusion that wore your face choked your throat. You didn’t want to be here.

~~youdidn’twanttobealiveyoudidn’twanttobealiveyoudidn’twanttobealive~~

Your shoulders sagged under the heavy weight of your sins. The trees in the forest towered over you in a reproachful manner. Like they knew what you had done and condemned you for it. _Please._ You plead to them. Please let this be the last time. Your dirty hands shook. 

“UNDYNE! LOOK! IT’S A HUMAN!” You stiffened. In the distance, there was a tall monster. A skeleton? The monster closed the distance between you two in several paces. He was fast. You tensed and gripped your bat in preparation for a fight. But there was none. “HUMAN! IT IS SO NICE TO MEET YOU!” The tall skeleton grabbed your hand and bat and vigorously shook it. You tried to avoid being hit in the face with your own weapon. The skeleton monster was loud. His questions bubbled through the air quickly, giving you no chance to process what was happening. “THE SKY IS SO BEAUTIFUL! IT IS SO BLUE! BUT HUMAN, WHAT IS THE GLOWING BALL IN THE SKY? IS IT AN ENEMY? DO YOU NEED PROTECTION? MY BROTHER WOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT THAT LAZYBONES IS-” 

What? Your heart beat rapidly within your chest. Your wits finally caught up to you and you unfroze from your panic induced shock. You jerked your hand back from the monster and took several steps back in reflex. This was new. This was all new. You were conflicted. Who was this monster that didn’t attack you on sight? Where was the Captain of the Royal Guard and her deadly spears? Where was the King and his ill-begotten souls? You wished he would attack you so you could just Fight.

Your reaction snapped the skeleton monster out of his rambling. His smile faltered and he looked… upset. Your heart twinged with a feeling you were all too familiar with. Guilt. You swallowed the knot of emotions that was blocking your throat. It burned. You opened your mouth to say something. Anything. You failed. You tried again and this time you were more successful. “Um… hi?” 

The skeleton monster gave you a subdued smile. “Oh, Excuse Me Human. I Um. I Forgot To Introduce Myself. How Rude Of Me. I Am The Great Papyrus!” He tried to strike a gallant pose but it only looked awkward. His voice was much quieter than before. It didn’t sound _right._ He tried to strike up another conversation but when you didn’t respond, his words trailed off into the wind.

You were frozen. This was so different from what had happened before. There were no spears here, no bullets. Hope blossomed within your chest. It was a weak thing, a small flame that could easily be blown away in an instant. But here there was proof that this run was different. The small flame in your chest fluttered. Maybe there would be no violence. Maybe you were a fool to hope, but you couldn’t keep yourself from indulging in it. Besides, this run would be over soon. Just like the last.

"It's nice to meet you too, Papyrus." Inwardly, you cheered as you managed to keep the tremble out of your voice. Great job, you told yourself. You’re acting like a normal human being. You gave the tall skeleton monster a kindly smile.

And just like that, Papyrus lit up like someone had told him that Christmas had come early. It was almost comical how your simple introduction had completely changed Papyrus’ mood. A wide grin engulfed his face. You found your own smile widening in response. “HUMAN!” Papyrus quickly launched into a spiel about who he was ( a royal guardsman, “WELL NOT REALLY, BUT I AM BEING TRAINED BY THE CAPTAIN HERSELF” your smile twitched), his family (“MY BROTHER, SANS!”), and how he and the other monsters had finally reached the surface. ( The name, Frisk, tugged at the back of your memory. You ignored it). “HUMAN! YOU SHOULD MEET MY OTHER FRIENDS! THEY ARE ALL NEAR THE BARRIER, BUT UNDYNE SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE!” 

Undyne. The Captain of the Royal Guard. Your smile froze on your face. Papyrus continued to ramble without noticing your sudden shift in mood. How could you forget? How could you have let your guard down so easily? What if this was all an elaborate trap to lull you into a sense of peace before killing you and stealing your soul? You looked at Papyrus and his twinkling eyes. His genuine enthusiasm exuded from every bone of his body. No. You were being paranoid. Still, what if it _was_ a trap but Papyrus had no idea he was being complicit in your demise? Would you be able to kill all of his friends in front of him? Would you be able to kill **him**? You steeled your resolve. You would have to.

"OH! THERE SHE IS NOW. UNDYNE! OVER HERE!" Papyrus' arm was a blur as he waved at the blue figure that was rapidly approaching. Your smile sharpened. 

"Hey!" The Captain was all teeth and sharp edges. Her smile was as edged as yours. She came to a stop next to Papyrus and slung her arm around the shoulders of her friend. She didn't say anything more. The Captain simply met your gaze with steady, suspicion filled eyes. She regarded your metal bat with a charged gaze. The air crackled with energy. Finally, she spoke. "Nice bat."

"Thanks. I use it to bludgeon my enemies." _Abort abort abort._ Why the hell did you say that? Your one chance at having a peaceful run was being dashed against the rocks. What the fuck was wrong with you. Your sweating intensified. Still, you managed to look into the Captain's golden eyes without flinching. A beat of silence. Even Papyrus was stunned.

And then the blue monster erupted into laughter. "Ha! You've got balls, nerd! I like that. The name's Undyne. What's yours, dork?" What. The. Hell? Were all monsters this strange or was it just these two?

You pushed aside your concerns. "Byul. My name is Byul." 

"Cool name. Wanna meet the rest of our friends?" 

"Sure?"

And that was it. No fight, no threats. No epic speech about taking your soul and taking revenge on humanity. The three of you simply continued north off of the narrow path and headed towards where the rest of monster-kind was. You were losing your advantage by leaving this area, but you didn't care. Things were changing and fuck all if you weren't going to take this chance by the reins. Your little flame of hope was more like a campfire now. There was no way in hell that you were going to let that fire die. 

Let the negotiations begin.


	3. Chapter 3

Two monsters and a human hiked up the mountain in complete silence. You could see Papyrus attempt to start a conversation, but it seemed even he was unsure on what to talk about. He opened his mouth, stopped, and closed it again. Yikes, this walk was becoming super awkward. You eyed the fishy Captain warily. She returned a similarly wary gaze. She gnashed her teeth and mimed a beheading motion with her thumb. You snapped your head forward. You needed to say something, anything, to break the ridiculously tense atmosphere. 

“So, what’s your favorite food? Do you guys like, eat humans?”

“WHAT? NO! WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?”

“Yeah, punk. Jeez, talk about gross.”

“Huh. Well, you know. Everyone always talks about how if you climb Mt. Ebott, the monsters will catch and eat you.”

“...Yikes.”

“THAT’S VERY DISTURBING, HUMAN BYUL.”

“Hmm,” You hummed and tapped your chin in thought. 

The Captain walked in front of you and pushed various branches out of the way. The lush greenery of the forest seemed to get thicker and thicker closer to the peak. Maybe the barrier had a hand in that. The birds always were surprisingly vibrant and active here. Not to mention the fact that the plants were always green. Even during winter. But, you weren’t an expert on magic or on plants, so what did you know?

**WHAP!**

“Ack!” You were rudely jerked out of your thoughts when a large, leafy branch whacked you in your face. You rubbed your forehead. Ugh, you could feel the area become red and swollen. You frowned and looked at The Captain. That bitch. She was laughing!

“Oops. Sorry,” She snickered into her hand. You glared. Well someone wanted to be turned into sushi.

No. No violent or murdery thoughts. Bad Byul. This run was- _ is _ supposed to be different. You sighed and rummaged into your bag for a band aid. “It’s fine.” You slowly peeled away the paper as the three of you continued to walk. You plastered the adhesive onto your forehead. “Then, what  _ do _ you guys eat?”

“ONLY THE BEST NOODLE DISH IN EXISTENCE, OF COURSE! SPAGHETTI! MADE BY YOURS TRULY, OBVIOUSLY.”

“Obviously,” You parroted. You didn’t think it was that obvious, but… whatever the large monster that could kill you said was right by default. Because he could unalive you in an instant and you didn’t want to be unalived so soon. Then again, Papyrus didn’t seem like the kind of monster to kill you without reason. Maybe even with reason. 

The thought of loud, jovial Papyrus murdering you in cold blood (cold Dust?) with a distant expression on his face was so  _ wrong _ , it was laughable. Humorous even. You peeked at Papyrus. He was still talking about the merits of spaghetti. His bones shimmered in the dappled sunlight flitting through the leaves. Bones. Humorous.  _ Humerus. _

“Pffft!” A small laugh escaped your lips. You tried to stifle it with your hand, but ultimately failed. “Hahaha!”

“HUMAN BYUL? WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?”

“Ha! Nothing, nothing,” You snickered when you caught a glance of Papyrus’ confused gaze. You smiled. “Just thought of something funny.”

“Really? Then you should tell us, punk,” The Captain glanced back at you and shot you a knife-sharp grin. “Pap and I  _ love _ jokes.”

You narrowed your eyes. Would it be rude to tell a skeleton related pun to a skeleton? Probably. You decided not to tell them, “Nah, you guys wouldn’t get it.” You reached out and grabbed a small leaf that had tangled itself within The Captain’s red hair. You held it up. “Be-leaf me.”

The resounding scream of anguish that erupted out of Pap’s mouth was so loud, it sent several murders (Ha! Murder.) of crows into the air.

“UNBELIEVABLE! WE FINALLY REACH THE SURFACE AND MAKE A NEW FRIEND, AND SHE LIKES PUNS???!! WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THIS WORLD. NYO-HO-HO-HOOOOO.” Papyrus crumpled into a ball onto the ground. You looked at The Captain for help, but she was doubled over in laughter.

“Ha! That was a good one, punk!” She continued to laugh while Papyrus laid on the floor cursing his existence. 

Fuck, what should you do now? You couldn’t just leave him there on the dirt. It was dirty. “Pfft!” You snorted. Wow, you were a comedic genius today. A real John Mulaney. A loud wail shifted your attention. Right. Tall skeleton monster crying on the ground. That probably took precedence over your new budding sense of humor. 

“Papyrus… uh, are you okay?”

A loud sniff. “YES. NO. I DON’T KNOW,” He continued to whimper. You had a feeling this wasn’t about the pun. The Captain seemed to reach the same conclusion as you. You both stared at each other. Your human eyes gazed into her golden, monster eye. Silently, you both came to an agreement. Set aside whatever animosity you two were feeling towards each other for now. Papyrus needed her.

“Pap, buddy. What’s wrong?” 

The Capt- Undyne sat down on the ground next to him. You didn’t know if you should join them. You were just a stranger after all. You made to leave and give them some space, but a bony hand clutched your ankle. You stopped. Guess you were staying. You slowly sunk down onto a patch of grass near the two and placed your metal bat on the ground.

Undyne gently noogied Papyrus' head. “Hey, man. You know you can tell me anything. I’m your best friend,” No response. “Is this about Sans?” A shaky intake of breath. Undyne sighed. “Pap, Sans is an adult. If he wants to hole up in his room all day, he can do that. I know you’re worried about him, but you need to take care of yourself, too.”

Papyrus curled up even further into a ball. If that was even possible. You really wished you had left now. You felt like you were intruding into something that was between friends. You looked away from Papyrus’ pathetic form. You didn’t even know who this ‘Sans’ monster is.

“Sans Is My Brother.” You bristled when you heard Papyrus answer your question. Whoops, you had said it outloud. “He Is…” Papyrus took in a shaky breath and spoke in a strangely unwavering voice. “My Brother, Sans, Is The Smartest Monster I Know. He Is Kind And Funny, Even Though He Always Reuses The Same Puns. And He Is  _ So _ Lazy.” Papyrus began to talk faster. “He Never Cleans His Room, He Always Leaves His Dirty Laundry In A Pile On The Floor. And Don’t Even Get Me Started On The Socks! He Can Be So Annoying Sometimes! But…” Papyrus stopped. “But… He Always Reads Me Stories Before Bed, Even Though He’s Tired. He’s Always Making Sure I’m Okay Even Though He’s The One Who Looks Like He’s Going To Fall Down. And… He’s The Only Family I Have.” Papyrus sat up and cupped his face with his hands. “What Am I Doing Wrong?”

You were at a complete loss as to what to do. And yet, Papyrus’ desolate form tugged at an old memory within you. One where you were the one in Papyrus’ position. You shifted closer to him. Were you really going to help a monster? Papyrus’ soft cries pulled at a part deep within you. Yes, you decided. You were. Slowly, you raised your arms and embraced the tall skelton. Papyrus froze. Undyne looked at you with her piercing, golden eye.

“Umm… hey… I’m not really sure what’s going on? But uh… You guys are on the surface now. Maybe… Maybe that change will help your brother? I don’t uh, know, if that’ll help. But… a change of scenery always helped me? Maybe it’ll help him?” Your words were quiet, barely audible, and stilted. You didn’t even know if you could help someone you just met, but you had to try. Right?

Slowly, Papyrus leaned into your embrace and wrapped his arms around you. “Thank You, Human Byul.” 

The three of you sat in silence and watched as the sun dipped lower and lower into the sky. It was almost five now, the sun would set in an hour or two. You wondered if your new friend had ever seen a sunset before. Friend. Damn, you were already attached to this new monster. Sure, you were determined to make sure that this run remained peaceful, but it was an entirely different matter to become friends with one of your enemies.

Subtly, you took a peek at your companions. Papyrus was quiet. An introspective look cast upon his face. Even Undyne, the loud and brash Captain of the Royal Guard, was quiet. But you could see the pure joy in her eyes when she looked up at the cerulean blue sky and the hope that radiated from her every being as she played with a strand of grass that was tickling playfully at her heels.

Friends. How long had it been since you had seen your friends? Since you had friends? Friends. It was as a foreign concept to you as monsters being real had been. Something mythical and distant, maybe even an unnecessary belief. Still, sitting here with two monsters and looking up at the blue expanse above the three of you, you didn’t think you minded the thought of one of them being a new friend. 


	4. Chapter 4

It only took 30 more minutes to reach the peak of Mt. Ebott. Your heart was fluttering within your chest and the roar of your blood rushing nearly drowned out Papyrus who was chattering next to you. You were nervous you realized. Your palms were sticky with sweat. 

You tried to reassure yourself. What did you have to be afraid of? The monsters?  _ Yesss _ , your shadow hissed.  _ Don’t forget, it was they who killed you and took your soul. It was they who murdered your friends and family _ . But that was before, right? Papyrus and The Cap- Undyne wouldn’t do that anymore, right?  _ Who knows? Maybe this is a new tactic to kill you. Befriend you first then stab you in the back. You can never trust monsters. _

Your hands shook and black spots dotted your vision. Sharp breaths racked your tired body. Were you hyperventilating? And you weren’t walking anymore, you were sitting on the ground. When had that happened? You didn’t know, you didn’t know anything. Why were you on the ground? Where were Papyrus and Undyne? Why were you here? You needed to be at the fork at the end of the path, you needed to be ready for the monster invasion. They were going to kill you!

“Breath, my child. Slowly, one breath in, one breath out,” a soft voice gently called out to you. It was murky, almost like it was coming from underwater. “Breath in, out, in and out,” You tried to do what the kind voice said, but it was so hard. You kept hiccuping and your breaths kept coming in short gasps. Hot tears streamed down your cheeks. “Come now, breathing isn’t that hard. You only need to do what you always do. One breath in, one breath out.” 

You followed the instructions of the kind voice and slowly, your breaths came under control. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out. Your vision cleared and a fuzzy snout came into view. You startled and tried to jump back but found that you were swaddled in a soft blanket. Huh? When had that happened? Confused, you looked back up at the person in front of you. In front of you kneeled a kindly looking goat monster dressed in deep purple robes the color of freshly pressed grapes. You thought the monster was a her. You didn’t know why, but you wanted to cry again. Not from fear, but from the overwhelming feeling that you knew this monster. That you were reuniting with a good friend after years of separation. Your soul ached.

“Um, hi?” you choked out.

The monster chuckled and smiled. “Greetings, human. I’m sure it must have been quite a shock to see monsters for the first time. Please excuse us for not welcoming you more warmly. The sight of a crying human was new and quite alarming for some of us.” 

You nodded slowly. There were indeed monsters scattered around the small camp who looked apprehensive. You couldn’t blame them. Seeing a stranger have a mental breakdown was probably not one of the things they were expecting to see when they got to the surface. Suddenly, in the corner of your vision you barely managed to take sight of Papyrus before he bounded over and swept you up into a bone-crushing hug. 

“OH! HUMAN BYUL! YOU’RE OKAY! I WAS SO WORRIED WHEN YOU STOPPED RESPONDING TO MY LECTURE ABOUT PASTA! AND THEN YOUR EYES STARTED LEAKING, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DYING!” Papyrus swung you around and around. You could hear the friendly goat monster laughing and even heard some distant giggles from other monsters. From within your blanket cocoon, you thought you were truly going to die from embarrassment. 

“Papyrus, please. I’m okay, just put me do- Yipe!” Before you could even finish what you were saying, you were swept up into another pair of monster arms. This time, they belonged to Undyne.

“You should have told us you weren’t feeling well, you nerd! I know monsters can be scary to you squishy guys, I’ve seen anime.” She placed you down back onto the ground with a plop. She stared piercingly at you. “I promise that we’re not going to hurt you. We just want to live on the surface in peace. And I’ll do everything I can to uphold that.” You stared and slowly nodded. You knew with certainty that Undyne truly meant every word of her statement. This run really was going to be different.

You smiled. Truly smiled for the first time in a long while. “I know that, you dummy. I hope that we can all live in peace for a long time.” Undyne looked taken aback for a second before letting out a loud whoop.

“Damn right!”

You were quickly swept up into a whirlwind of action. Tents to visit, people to meet, it was all so hectic and thrilling. So different from the chaos of the battlefield. With each passing moment, each passing smile, the memories of dust and blood grew distant. The camp echoed with laughter and delighted shrieks of monster children as they explored the forest. You were finally formerly introduced to Toriel, the acting Queen of monsters. Also the one to guide you through your panic attack. 

She smiled and said that she was only acting on her instinct as a mother. You were introduced to Frisk then. The human that ended it all. They were short with unkempt brown hair that just barely touched their shoulders. Their smile was contagious and you found yourself laughing as they and their friend, Monster Kid, ran around the camp getting into sillier and sillier antics. 

Still, despite the happy atmosphere, you noticed that the monsters were still hesitant in their movements. They walked with a shuffle and stopped to stare into the vast orange sky once in a while. Noticing your stare, Frisk tried to explain. Their hands moved fast, too fast for you to decipher. Luckily, Monster Kid translated.

“‘The monsters lived underground for a super long time.’ Yeah! A super duper long time! I don’t even think my parents saw the surface. And they’re old! ‘They lived in caves their whole lives in a small space. But the surface, it’s big. Bigger than the entire underground. The monsters are scared that if both their feet leave the ground at the same time, they’ll fall up into the sky.’” Agoraphobia. The monsters had developed agoraphobia as a result of being locked away for so long. And not for the first time that night, you felt your heart clench with a not foreign feeling. 

It wasn’t long before Monster Kid’s parents called their child over for the night. They hastened quick glances towards you and at the sky. Not totally wary, but resigned readiness. Ready for what though? You could guess. Potential danger. You continued to wave until you couldn’t see Monster Kid anymore. You stopped. 

What were you doing here? You used to kill monsters. Enjoyed it even, as much as you hated to admit it. You were a murderer and deserved to be judged. To be hated. You didn’t deserve all the kindness the monsters were showing you. You stared at the nice cream a blue bunny monster had shoved into your hands despite your protests. You shouldn’t be here. One way or another, you would eventually hurt these monsters. You had already done it before.

As if noticing your change in mood, Frisk appeared at your side. They smiled and signed, slower this time. “It’s weird, right? Monsters are real. And they’re nice too! Nothing like what the adults used to tell us.” They licked at their own nice cream in thought. “I like them a lot. And I know you like them, too.” You opened your mouth to protest but stopped at the look on Frisk’s face. Their eyes were the most brilliant shade of red you had ever seen. They seemed to scan your soul, your very being. “They’re good people. I’m going to protect them no matter what.” You swallowed and nodded. Were you being intimidated by a kid half your size? It was working. The two of you stood in silence and watched as one by one, monsters headed into their tents to sleep. “Hey, are you going to eat that?” Frisk motioned to your unopened nice cream. And suddenly, the tension was broken. You chuckled and simply handed the nice cream over.

“Enjoy it, Frisk. Except, I don’t think Toriel will be happy that you managed to sneak two nice creams.” They shrugged and chomped down into the iced treat. Ugh. You shivered. Popsicle biters.

It was late at night. Too late for you to walk down into town without getting hurt, so you were invited to sleep in Undyne’s tent for the night. You were apprehensive, but what other choice did you have? Originally, her friend was supposed to room with her but something had come up. That something being checking on the state of the core and how to provide energy to the potential future colony. 

“Yeah, old Fluffy Buns is with her because of that.” You cocked your head in confusion. Fluffy Buns? “Fluffy Buns is what we call our king. Asgore is a huge fluffy pushover. It’s why we call him Fluffy Buns.” Undyne chuckled, flashing her sharp teeth. “Ha! Even though he’s a push over, I was never able to beat him in a fair fight once.” You tensed. 

The King of all Monsters. The one who had stolen your soul and used it to amass more power and kill more humans. You felt a flash of anger rock your being. As if reading your mind, Undyne rolled over and stared at you with her golden eye. 

“I don’t know why you were at that path with a bat, but I know it wasn’t for a friendly baseball match.” Your muscles ached, ready to spring into action in a second. She stared. “You’re too strange. Why were you there? Why didn’t you look surprised to see us? And why did you start panicking when you saw Toriel?” You didn’t answer. “I don’t trust you. And I know you don’t trust me. You don’t trust us. But Papyrus likes you, Frisk likes you. Hell, even Toriel likes you and she’s a protective old goat! Don’t hurt them.” And with that, Undyne closed her eye and fell asleep. Leaving you alone with only your thoughts for company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, sorry for my month long hiatus again. I can't promise speedy updates, but I promise this isn't abandoned. Please leave comments or kudos if you like this chapter. I would love to talk to you guys about your thoughts. Have a great day!


	5. Chapter 5

You couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was because you were surrounded by monsters or maybe it was because you needed to use the bathroom. Either way, you found yourself wandering aimlessly away from the camp. Your tired feet lead you to a cave that hummed with energy with a small ledge that hung over a dark forest. If you fell from this height, you didn’t think anyone would be able to recover your body. With that thought in mind, you decided to seat yourself a safe distance away from the edge.

You closed your eyes and sighed. It was peaceful here. The soft breeze caressed your face and the smell of flowers intermingled with pine drifted sweetly by. The glow of the moon bathed your surroundings in a silvery blue hue. You liked it. You laid down on the ground and stared at the innumerable stars above you. There were so many more than you would have been able to see from home. 

Twenty-four hours ago, you had been prepared to kill an entire species. Now? … You clenched your hands. You imagined yourself lifting your bat over your head. Dust choking the air and the light of the sun reflecting off of the metal of your bat. You imagined Papyrus in front of you. Clubbing his skull in as he still persistently believed that you were a good person. As you showed him no mercy. You imagined Unynde. The fearsome Captain of the Guard using her body as shield to protect Monster Kid. You imagined her determination to protect her friends. Her family. 

And you imagined Frisk. You imagined Frisk alone. Surrounded by the Dust of their friends and cloaked in the purple of their mother’s robes. Their normally closed eyes would be wide open in shock. Fear. Anger. Their scarlet rage would consume them. They would stop at nothing to protect their family. But what if their family were all dead? Would they destroy the world in retribution? You thought of the red red red of Frisk’s eyes. The red that spoke of countless years of pain and joy. You think they would. They had plenty of determination to do it.

You didn’t know why this run was so different, but it was so much better than the ones before it. There was no blood. No dead. No Dust. Everyone was happy. Your family was still alive. The monsters themselves were nothing like before. Or maybe they were always like this. Peaceful and kind. Dreamers of a better world for their children. Maybe that was why they felt that they needed to fight a war with humanity. But something had changed. Now, they dreamed of a better world but alongside the humans. What had changed? Was it Frisk? Were they the one that had made the monsters change their minds?

It didn’t matter. The fact that the monsters weren’t murderous killers of humanity was all that mattered. The monsters of this time-line did not deserve genocide. So, you made your choice. You picked yourself off of the ground and threw your pocket-knife over the edge of the cliff. Your bat followed not soon after. And you thought that you had made the right choice. You felt Just.

By the time that dawn was just about to break, you were back in the tent with Undyne. Undyne shifted in her sleeping bag and blinked. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she yawned and sat up.

“Where did you go, dork? Didn’t see you in the tent earlier.”

“Had to pee.”

“Ah.”

Undyne finished stretching and finally stood up. She motioned for you to follow her. When the two of you exited the tent, you saw Papyrus and other monsters milling around. 

“Papyrus!” Undyne bellowed. Papyrus stood up from his crouched position where he was talking to a Moldsmal. His face lit up at the sight of the two of you and he waved his arm vigorously in hello.

“HELLO, UNDYNE! HELLO, HUMAN BYUL! ARE YOU BOTH READY FOR OUR VERY FIRST TIME VIEWING THE SUNRISE?”

“Hell yeah I am!”

“Language!” Toriel cried from a distance. You could hear Frisk snicker in response. “Undyne, please come over here so we could discuss the proper language that should be spoken around children.” Undyne winced.

“Sorry, Paps. I’ll be back in a bit.” Undyne stuck her tongue out and shuffled over to an amused Toriel. Frisk waved at you from her side. You waved back.

“WELL, HUMAN BYUL, LOOKS LIKE IT IS JUST THE TWO OF US. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A SUNRISE BEFORE? I HAVE NEVER, BUT MY BROTHER HAS TOLD ME ABOUT THEM. HE SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE A GIANT EGG! I AM VERY EXCITED. DO YOU THINK THE SUN CAN BE COOKED? IMAGINE, A GIANT EGG BEING COOKED BY ME! THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I WOULD SURELY BE THE TALK OF THE ENTIRE SURFACE! NYEHEHEHE!” Papyrus struck a gallant pose. You laughed and shook your head. Whoever Papyrus’s brother was, they were surely a jokester.

“Lol, Papyrus the sun isn’t actually a giant egg. It’s a giant ball of gas in space.”

“SOUNDS FAKE BUT OKAY.” Papyrus shook his head in disbelief. You laughed more. “ _ HAVE _ YOU SEEN A SUNRISE BEFORE?” 

“Hmm,” you tapped your chin in thought. “I have, but it was a long time ago. On a trip with my parents and some of my cousins. I think I was around eight then?”

“WAS IT PRETTY?” Papyrus’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. 

“I dunno,” a wistful smile fell across your face. “It was super early in the morning for me, so I actually fell asleep during the climb to see it. I haven’t been able to see a sunrise since because I hate being awake this early, actually. So it’ll kind of be like my first time seeing it too, I guess.” You shrugged.

“GASP! THEN WE’LL BE SEEING IT TOGETHER FOR BOTH OF OUR FIRST TIMES! OUR FIRST TIMES WILL BE WITH EACH OTHER! WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO START OUR FRIENDSHIP!” Papyrus practically sparkled with happiness.

“Oh no, Papyrus… That’s not what… That’s not what our first times means. Papyrus?” But it was too late. Papyrus was busy imagining christening the start of your friendships by frying the sun in a giant pan. You sighed and shrugged. You’ll explain to Papyrus what it means later.

“Okay, everyone! Please gather around. Jerry, please leave little Moldsmal alone. No, they do not like being used as a cushion. Yes, I am sure. Now, we will be making the walk back to the barrier to watch the sun rise. Frisk tells me that it is the best place to see it. Is everyone ready? Then let us be off!” 

Undyne was kept busy walking back and forth helping the weaker monsters or entertaining the kids. So, Papyrus and you climbed up the path together. You looked at Papyrus as you walked. You hadn’t noticed earlier, but as the sky got lighter, you noticed how tired Papyrus looked. He didn’t have bags hanging from his eye sockets, nor did he have sallow cheeks. Because he didn’t have cheeks. But still, his hunched shoulders and slouched back all screamed tired. Of defeat.

“HUMAN? DO I HAVE SOMETHING ON MY FACE?”

“Nah, just. You look tired.” Papyrus sighed and rubbed his eye.

“I AM.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“HMM.. MAYBE IT WOULD INDEED HELP TO GET ANOTHER PERSON’S ADVICE BESIDES JUST UNDYNE.” Papyrus sighed once more. “I SPENT THE ENTIRETY OF LAST NIGHT TRYING TO COAX MY BROTHER OUT OF HIS ROOM. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE IS SO SCARED OF. HE KEEPS SAYING THAT I WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND. THAT THIS WILL ALL JUST RESET AND NOTHING WILL MATTER IN THE END. HE’S RIGHT. I DON’T UNDERSTAND. BUT ONLY BECAUSE HE WILL NOT TALK TO ME!” Papyrus shook his hands at the sky. “WHY WON’T HE JUST TALK TO ME?! I LOVE MY BROTHER, BUT I AM BECOMING INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED WITH HIS ACTIONS.” Papyrus shook his head and groaned. 

A reset? What was that? It probably didn’t matter. You patted Papyrus’s arm in what you hoped was a comforting manner. 

“WHAT DO YOU THINK, BYUL. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY BROTHER?” Papyrus looked at you with a tired expression you knew all too well. 

“Uh, honestly? I think you did all you could. One of my friends told me this one time. But, you can only help people that want to be helped. And you tried. A lot. Now it’s up to your brother to accept your help.”

Papyrus sighed. “HONESTLY, THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT UNDYNE SAID, TOO. WELL, THAT AND TO JUST BREAK HIS DOOR DOWN AND SUPLEX HIM. BUT I DON’T LIKE GOING INTO HIS ROOM. IT’S TOO MESSY.” A conflicted expression clouded Papyrus’s face. “HE’S MY BROTHER THOUGH. I NEED TO HELP HIM.”

“You’re your own person. And so is he. You don’t have to do everything for your brother.” 

Papyrus pursed his lips. “OH LOOK, WE’RE HERE.” 

Wow. What a coincidence. The place that you had wandered to last night was right where the barrier was. You all had arrived just in time to see the sun steadily rise over the peaks of the mountain range. The rosy glow of the sunlight bathed the leaves of the trees in a pink and orange light. While previously, the crowd of monsters were loud with chatter, they were now awed into silence. You were sure that none of you would be able to forget this sunrise. 

As the sun climbed higher into the morning sky, Toriel passed out mugs of warm cocoa while Frisk passed out plates of cinnamon-butterscotch pie. The monsters and you now sat in groups eating what was passed out. When you took a bite of the pie, you were shocked. It seemed like the pie just disappeared from your mouth after you had barely chewed. And what was left behind was a strange tingling feeling like you would get when you ate pop rocks. You took another bite to be certain, but the same disappearing and tingling act struck again. Strange. Maybe it was because it was monster food?

Either way, this was the best dang pie you had ever eaten. It was sweet while not being overwhelming, and the crust was just crisp enough to mellow out the smoothness of the filling. The warmth of the pie and cocoa served to warm you from the inside. Like getting a warm hug in winter. You sighed in disappointment once the pie was all eaten. Maybe you would ask Toriel for the recipe. Although, your kitchen didn’t have an oven. Maybe you should visit your parents’ house to bake. Speaking of houses...

“So what are you guys going to do?”

“Hm? What do you mean, my child?” Toriel looked up from her mug. She had a chocolate mustache. You handed her a napkin.

“Well, you guys can’t live out of tents forever. Are you guys going to build a town here? I’m not sure that the government would like that.” The monsters glanced at each other. Had they really not thought of that? You looked at Frisk. “Frisk, what have you been telling them?”

Frisk set down their plate and mug. “Uh, I kind of forgot to tell them. I guess I was too busy trying to get them out of the underground.” Frisk rubbed the back of their neck. “Oops?” They signed. You sighed. That was why the King and the Royal Scientist were underground. To figure out a way to get energy to the surface for a colony. 

“Guys, you can’t just build a town out of nowhere. Honestly, us humans didn’t even know monsters existed. What do you think will happen if suddenly creatures from stories started building towns in the mountains?”

“They would think that we are invading.” A deep, somber voice spoke from behind you. You froze. That baritone voice was unmistakable. You slowly turned around. “Howdy.” 

Standing before you was the terrible and merciless murderer. The king of all Monsters. The one that had cruelly ripped the souls out of the bodies of humans when they were still alive. Evil with vile red eyes and flaming golden hair. At least, that’s how you remembered him being. The monster in front of you now, while intimidating, was nowhere near the fearsome visage of a vicious king. His hair was the color of golden flowers and his eyes were soft velvet. They radiated kindness and hope. He almost reminded you of Toriel.

“Um, hi?” 

The King chuckled. “It is nice to meet you, human. I am the King of Monsters. But please, call me Asgore. And this, is the Royal Scientist.” A yellow lizard monster stood beside The King and awkwardly walked up to greet you.

“Oh! H-hi! It is s-so nice t-to meet you! I-I’m Alphys. I’m a-also the royal s-scientist. Oh, s-stupid, s-stupid, you a-already knew that. Uh, F-frisk was t-the f-first human I ever met. Oh, t-this is s-so exciting! D-do you like a-anime? Doyoulikemewmewkissycutieit’ssogoodireccomendskippingseasontwothough-”

Your eyes glazed over as you couldn’t keep up with the speed of Alphys’s speech. You think she mentioned something about anime? “Um, I guess I like anime? My name is Byul. It’s nice to meet you, too.” You gave what was hopefully a welcoming smile and shook Alphys’s outstretched hands. 

Alphys smiled. “I-it’s nice t-to meet you t-too, Byul.”

“Now that we are all acquainted, we should discuss the matter at hand. Byul, you said that the humans would not be welcoming if we were to build our own city here?” You nodded at Toriel.

“The best thing to do would probably be to go down to City Hall and announce your existence. I don’t really know what the protocol would be for the discovery of a new sentient species, but some of you guys should definitely go down there. Probably a small group? The two of you need to go, though.” You looked at Toriel and The King. 

Toriel nodded. “That seems the best course of action. But I am hesitant to leave all the others here without either Asgore or I to protect them.”

Frisk signed quickly. “We’ll need an ambassador too! If we’re going to be negotiating with the human government, we need to have someone to be an intermediate.”

You stared. “Aren’t you like eight? How do you know what an ambassador is?”

Frisk froze. “Uh, I read it in a book. Also, I’m ten.”

“Big difference, dork. That’s basically still a baby.” Undyne chuckled.

It took some planning, more pies, and even more talking. But eventually, it was decided that you and Frisk would act as intermediates between the human government and the Monsters. While you had no plan of being an ambassador, it seemed that Frisk had no problem taking up the mantle. Not for the first time you wondered how strange Frisk was. The group that would go into town consisted of Undyne, Papyrus, Toriel, and Greater Dog. The King and Alphys would remain behind along with the rest of the Royal Guard. 

“Okay guys, if we’re going to leave today, we need to leave within an hour or two. I don’t know how long we’ll have to talk to the mayor but, it’ll probably be a while. You guys should probably pack a few day’s worth of clothes.”

While the others headed Underground to retrieve clothes, you and Frisk sat and ate more pie. Should you be worried about gaining weight? Nah, this pie is worth it. It didn’t take long for the others to gather their things. Undyne was the first to get back, carrying a bag with only the necessities. Toriel and Greater Dog arrived together. Each carried a bag with what you assumed was their clothes. Although, Toriel also carried a bag of what you thought were books. Maybe a cookbook was one of them. You’d have to ask later. Surprisingly, Papyrus was the last to arrive.

When he did get back up to the surface, he carried a much larger bag than the others and his eye sockets were rimmed with orange. Had he been crying? You walked over to Papyrus and looked at him with concern. He simply shook his head and wiped his eyes.

“It’s Nothing. Let’s Just Go, Please.”

You wrinkled your brows but said nothing. Instead, you nodded and gathered everyone together. Each did not mention Papyrus’s orange eyes but Undyne had a murderous expression. You could hear her curse under her breath, “I’m going to suplex that lazy bag of bones into next year.” You silently agreed. With nothing left to do, you all set off into town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy, this is the longest chapter I have ever written. Poor Papyrus, but I promise I'm not splitting up the brothers forever! They both just need to work through their own demons... Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please leave a comment or a kudos if you did!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi ya'll! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I have so many ideas that I just can't wait to write out. Hope you guys enjoyed! Please leave a kudos or a comment. I love hearing your thoughts. Stay safe!


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